


Parental Madness

by cesttoiquivois



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22104997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cesttoiquivois/pseuds/cesttoiquivois
Summary: During her last check-up at her gynecologist's, Regina is mistakenly inseminated.Difficult news to process, it gets worse when she finds out who the father is.Modern AU based on TV show Jane the Virgin.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Prince Charming | David Nolan
Comments: 22
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

« Mornings are beautiful here. » 

Regina Mills stirs up in bed, stretching her back a little before opening her lids. Her eyes fall onto the young boy sleeping soundly next to her and she smiles softly. She brings a gentle hand to his brown hair, letting her fingers wander in between the locks as she drops a kiss on top of his head.

It’s been three months now. Three months since her ten-year-old son, Henry, has been able to sleep through an entire night without being woken up by night terrors. It's her fault. She had just found out that the man who murdered her fiancé was being released from prison “for good behavior”. She hadn't been able to cope with it and she burst out to Emma -- her friend and occasional sitter -- releasing all her heartbreak and anger. She loathes him. That man who put two bullets through Daniel's heart, point-blank. He deserved to rot in jail and die there, not get freed when Daniel was still dead and Henry fatherless. Her cries expressed just that. 

The noise coming from the living room woke Henry up and with it the truth about his father’s death. A truth that Regina had been very keen on keeping hidden, not wanting to traumatize him. Now he knows, and as she feared, it left him terrified and with every night comes another nightmare about his father’s death.

Regina lets out a sigh, slowly shifting out of her son’s embrace in order not to wake him up. Today, she’s got an appointment with her gynecologist. Dr. French called her yesterday, asking if they could meet as soon as possible. Regina should be worried, or at least concerned about what could have possibly prompted Belle French to make such a last minute appointment, especially since she had her last check-up two weeks ago, but she’s not. Or rather, she’s got too much on her mind to even think about it. A complicated file landed on her desk early on Wednesday and that’s pretty much all she’s been thinking about ever since. She needs to prepare the case so it can be ready by Monday which is why she’s working on a Saturday. 

As a business lawyer, working in a trading company that was created by her uncle Leopold Blanchard (or Leo, as she likes to call him), it's not all that uncommon that she sometimes has to sacrifice her weekends to her work. Leo hired her just after she graduated from Law School. It allowed her to leave New York and all the memories it held and move to Los Angeles, where she and her son have been living ever since. Quite a change of scenery but a necessary one. 

Regina exhales wearily, stretching up her back a little before kissing Henry’s forehead one last time and getting out of the bed. Her boy is spending the day at her parents’ to his utter delight. A pool and the assurance to have his grandfather comply to his every whim? What is there not to love? At least Regina can count on her mother to intervene if necessary even if the woman is way less strict with her grandson than she’s ever been with her daughter. Something to be grateful for. 

On her way to the kitchen, Regina takes her beige cardigan and puts it on. She slides her feet inside her slip-ons and heads out of the bedroom. Opening a couple of cupboards, she quickly fixes breakfast. She’s not hungry enough for more than a cup of coffee, which brews as she prepares pancakes for Henry with the leftover batter from yesterday. The various smells make her stomach squirm a little and she scrunches her nose. Perhaps, eating the leftovers shrimps last night wasn’t such a bright idea. She puts everything on the kitchen table while drinking her coffee, leaving her son to heat up his milk in the microwave to his liking. She puts down some maple syrup and caramel, and cleans up some fresh berries to put in a bowl for him as well. 

“Mom.” A groggy voice rises and Regina turns her head to see Henry entering the room, hands rubbing his eyes.

She smiles at him placing her now-empty mug in the sink.

“Hi, sweetheart,” she greets, ruffling his hair and bending to kiss his cheek. “You’re up early,” she observes. “You could have slept for at least another ten minutes.”

He shrugs simply and wraps his arms around her middle, burying his face against her chest. The woman sighs lovingly, putting a hand behind his head and leaning her cheek on its top.

“Better?” She asks and she feels his head nodding against her.

She parts after a while and smiles at him, stroking his shoulder.

“Come on, go eat. I made you pancakes.”

He grins at that and she watches him with amused pursed lips. He giggles, sitting down by the table.

“I’m going to shower. Do you want to shower here or do you prefer waiting to be at your grandparents’?”

“Gramps,” he replies with his mouth full, and Regina sends him a warning glare.

He apologizes quietly and swallows before repeating his answer.

“Alright. When you’re done, put your dishes in the machine and go get ready. Don’t forget to take your swimsuit.”

Henry looks at her, with a _like-I’d-forget-that_ face and Regina rolls her eyes but smiles.

“I’ll be in the shower,” she tells him, chuckling, and he replies with a simple “Alright”.

She has barely set foot in the bathroom that she suddenly feels disoriented, a wave of nausea invading her body. She grabs the edge of the washbasin and closes her eyes, slowly breathing in and out, hoping that the loops in her stomach will cease.

A few minutes pass by and she opens her eyes. She puts a hand on her stomach and lets out a sigh. Eating leftover shrimps last night was definitely a bad idea. The young woman swallows down the bit of vomit that managed to reach her throat and strips off her clothes bit by bit. She enters the shower stall and turns the water on. Warmth engulfs her body, instantly relaxing the muscles of her neck, shoulders and back. She cocks her head backwards, eyes shut and rolls her shoulders. Water drips down her chin and in between her breasts. She grabbed the rose scented soap that Tink gifted her as part of an ensemble basket of homemade rose-scented natural products. It smells like heaven and always suffices to calm Regina’s pacy brain down. 

Once showered, she puts her clothes on: a black pencil skirt that she struggles a bit to zip on, a purple blouse, and her black pumps. She feels another wave of nausea and she has to pause and lean a hand against the wall as she bites her lower lip, closing her eyes. She cannot be sick today. Not with that big case she’s got on Monday. She breathes in and straightens her spine. She _isn’t_ sick. 

“Mom? Are you okay?”

Her eyes flash open at the sound of her son’s voice. She turns on her heels and looks over at his frowny face, standing at the door frame. She gives him a small, tentative smile and nods. 

His left brow quirks, unconvinced.

“You look sick,” he argues, crossing his arms, and she chuckles a bit. 

When did he turn into her? She asks herself, knowing perfectly well that he won't give up until he gets a satisfying answer. 

“I should have listened to you last night and not eaten those shrimps,” she tells him, walking over to him and kissing the top of his head. 

“I knew it,” the boy exclaims, lifting his arms. “You see mom, you should listen to me more often,” he lets out as she passes him and she laughs. 

“I should indeed, my boy,” she tells him, opening the fridge to grab her water bottle. 

She opens it and drinks a quick sip but instead of cooling her down, she all of a sudden feels very hot. _Why is it so damn hot?_

Regina closes her eyes for a moment, slowing her heart rate a bit and breathes in. Ok, she’s good. 

She heads to the front door, grabs her bag from the rack, as well as her briefcase and keys on the small table.

“Ready to go?” She asks, trying to balance all of her items in one hand in order to fan herself a bit with her free one.

Henry takes pity on her, “Here, let me carry something for you,” putting his backpack on and grabbing the case from her. “You’re sure you’re alright?” He asks anew, brows furrowed at her. 

“I’m good, baby,” she assures with a smile. “You took your homework, right?” She questions, looking at him knowingly, and at least, it makes him stop worrying about her. 

He muffles a small “yes” and she smiles with satisfaction.

… 

They arrive at the Mills mansion in a little over 40 minutes. The large white house stands obnoxiously on top of a hill in Beverly Crest, giving anyone that would set foot inside a perfect view of the **«** City of Angels **»**. A drastic contrast to Regina’s modest residence in Pasadena. 

She isn’t complaining though. She never liked living in a big house. She remembers how lonely she used to feel growing up in their former apartment in Manhattan. She would always find an excuse not to be there, may it be extra school work or helping her father at the hotel. Anything not to be in that big, cold apartment that felt more like a golden prison rather than a home. It was suffocating. Her two-bedroom house built in the 50s feels like home. Along with the small garden she never had growing up, it’s perfect to raise a child 

Once out of her car, she locks it and walks over to Henry to put a hand around his shoulders as they climb the stairs towards the front door. Henry is, of course, the one to ring the bell. The _Harry Potter_ theme song that he somehow convinced his grandparents to use instead of their former classic ding-dong-sound resonates and he looks up at his mother proudly, making her laugh. Soon, the door opens on Ella, a young blonde that has been working for the Mills ever since they moved here.

“Hello Miss Mills,” the young woman greets with a smile. “Hi Henry.”

He grins, waving at her. 

“Hello,” Regina replies as she walks into the foyer followed by her son.

As soon as they’re inside, he drops his bag on the floor by the large round table that serves no purpose aside from space filler, before running towards the living room where he knows his grandfather surely is, reading his paper as he sips on his coffee -- just like every morning.

Regina rolls her eyes before picking the bag up and placing it on the table. 

“Is it that difficult?” She asks more to herself.

“He is just a child.”

The brunette jumps at the sound of her mother’s voice. She purses her lips. 

“You would leave me without dessert whenever I left my stuff around, Mother,” she says turning around to face Cora. “I’ve got this from you.”

For only response, the older woman rolls her eyes in turn, letting out a low, but loud enough for Regina to hear, “Always so dramatic”. 

Cora Mills is an elegant, intelligent and ambitious woman. She isn't that tall but she holds herself high, looking down at any and everyone that crosses her path. She was one of the best lawyer in Manhattan. The **«** Red Queen **»** they used to call her, because she would always wear the darkest red for lipstick, and also as a reference to the heartless queen in _Alice in Wonderland_ , though no one ever admitted to it. It’s true that she was pitiless and didn’t mind representing the most powerful tycoons, unafraid of crushing anyone standing against them even if her clients were on the wrong side of the law. “It’s the job,” Regina often heard her argue with her father. Henry would simply glare at her before sighing with a shake of his head and leaving the room, knowing perfectly well that there was no point in arguing.

Henry Mills was the opposite of his wife. He used to own a hotel. The Miller Regency Hotel, in the Upper East Side. He was (still is) a very wealthy man but he never minds giving the less fortunate a chance, and he doesn’t care about power and the likes. He just cares about being fair and true to himself. To her mother’s defense, Cora, wasn’t brought up in an upscale environment and she knew what it felt like to barely have enough food on the table... So, at a very young age she had made herself a promise: do anything to never have to live like that again. So, she worked hard, graduated with honours and became a fierce business lawyer. 

Regina understands that to some level. After all, in a way she followed her mother’s path. It might have not been the initial plan but life -- or rather death -- happened. She wanted to be an artist, a painter, but one day she found herself standing in a cemetery, a newborn child sleeping in her arms, the man that was supposed to be by her side forever buried six feet underneath the ground on which she stood. Suddenly she was alone, and as much as she dreamed of becoming a painter, “dreams were never meant to pay the bills”, her mother used to say. She now had a child to provide for, and she didn't want to financially depend on her parents forever. The only favour she asked was for them to babysit Henry from time to time allowing her time to focus on her studies and graduate from Law School. Once she did, she called her uncle -- her father's brother-in-law -- and asked him if he had a job for her. He did and the next day, she had hers and Henry’s belongings packed and was on her way to Los Angeles, leaving behind New York and the ambulances’ siren noises that would wake her up in tears every night, her heart pounding in her chest. 

Three years later, her parents both retired and decided to do so on the West Coast. At first, Regina hated it, but she soon realised that it was better for Henry to have family around. Of course, she had her uncle around but they were never _that_ close. Leo was, is, more of a boss that she happened to have Thanksgiving dinner with. Leo also has a daughter, Mary Margaret, but she and Regina never had much in common and their time spent together were mostly made of boring conversations or awkward silences that David (Mary Margaret’s husband) desperately tried to fill with inappropriate jokes that would make his wife glare at him and Regina pointedly looking at Henry, the _child_ in the room. Ergo, Regina doesn’t exactly call them “family”. No, it’s just her, Henry and her parents.

“Mom!” Henry’s voice echoes suddenly and Regina turns around to see her son running back from the living room, followed by her smiling father. Regina frowns, wondering what her father and son are plotting this time.

“Gramps installed a jacuzzi in the pool!”

“Did they now?” Regina says, looking squarely in her parents’ eyes.

Her father is the first to move, walking towards her, and looking at her innocently before pressing a kiss to her forehead. Then, he simply walks up to his wife, wrapping an arm around her waist. 

“I’m going to put on my swimsuit. I have got to try it,” Henry exclaims before she can utter a word. 

“Hey, hey!” Regina stops him. “Give me a kiss, at least. I have to go.” 

He chuckles, jumping into her arms. “Sorry, mom.”

She smiles, closing her eyes as she holds him tight. 

“Have a good day, baby.” She parts from him and puts a finger under his chin to have him look into her eyes. “I don’t mind you having fun, but don't forget to do your homeworks.”

Henry nods and she smiles before letting him run to his room to change. 

Regina shakes her head. She then turns to face her parents, crossing her arms over her chest.

“You bought him a jacuzzi.”

“We didn't buy _him_ a jacuzzi,” Of course Cora would be the first to speak up as her husband leans onto the table, that smug smile of his still plastered on his face. “We bought a jacuzzi that he can use.”

“Neither of you ever set foot in the pool -- ever. Only Henry uses it. And me, once in a blue moon.”

“You’re being dramatic,” Cora huffs before leaving the room and Regina rolls her eyes. For a lawyer, her mother’s penchant for running away from an argument will always blow her mind. 

Regina turns back to face her father and she finds him chuckling.

“So what if we bought our grandson a jacuzzi?” He asks, walking towards her and putting a gentle hand on her forearm. “Is it that bad?”

“I don't want you to spoil him.”

“What are grandparents for if not to spoil their grandchildren?” 

Regina sighs, deciding it would be best to just let it go. 

“It was your mother’s idea. She loves having him around, you know… it gets lonely in here sometimes.”

She looks up at him, brows furrowed in confusion. 

“We have each other but sometimes… it’s nice to hear a child’s laughter and see his eyes sparkle with excitement. I know that growing up, your mother didn't really allow you to behave like the child that you were… With Henry she gets a second chance.”

“She doesn't need to bribe him for him to come. He adores you.”

“I think she has a hard time believing that.”

Regina looks at her father for a second before glancing at the hallway her mother walked down to a few minutes ago. 

“Fine. But no more extravagant gift. Please?”

“I promise,” Henry says smiling. 

She smiles as well in response, before kissing her father's cheek. 

“I’m going to tell her that I’m leaving.” 

He acquiesces and she squeezes his hand before heading to the backyard. 

She finds her sat on a lounge chair, by the pool and its brand new jacuzzi. It’s pompous and… it’s just too much but Regina keeps her remarks to herself and plasters a smile on before joining her mother. 

“I’m leaving, Mother,” she informs. 

“Very well,” Cora deadpans without looking up from the puzzle she has on her lap, glasses on her nose. 

Regina bites the inside of her cheek and breathes in.

“I’m sorry. I know you just want to make him happy.” She leans down and kisses her mother’s cheek. She stays there for a second, leaning her brow against Cora’s head. “I appreciate that more than you know.”

The older woman doesn’t answer but Regina feels the shifting in her body language as she relaxes slightly and she doesn’t need her to. She kisses her one more time and leaves.

… 

By the time she arrives at the clinic, Regina’s hot flashes are worse than in the morning. This can’t only be due to the shrimps, she tells herself as she uses the magazine she just stole from the waiting room to fan herself. 

“Hi, Regina,” Belle French says, a bit out of breath as if she had run on her way over here, followed by the doctor that had done Regina’s check-up two weeks ago. Belle hadn’t been able to make it, stuck in bed because she had caught the flu.

Regina doesn’t remember his name but she remembers not liking him one bit. He was rude and arrogant. He came in, barely uttered a “good morning”, did his thing and left without even closing the door on her while she was still lying on the table legs wide open. An unprofessional bastard that left a bitter taste into her mouth. The brunette ignores him, focusing back on Dr. French.

Belle has been Regina’s gynecologist ever since she arrived in Los Angeles five years ago. She is a petite, kind but professional woman that always has a smile on her face whenever Regina sees her. Except today. 

Regina frowns as she sits back down, watching the woman settles behind her desk, the other doctor standing next to her. She seems… on edge. Worried. Angry?

“This is Doctor Victor Whale,” Doctor French speaks. “You remember him, don’t you?”

“Yes. We’ve briefly met,” Regina says, insisting on the “briefly” and looking at him pointedly. 

He averts his eyes however and Regina grows a bit unsettled. She hadn’t taken him for the kind of man to avoid eye contact.

“Is everything alright?” She asks, looking back at Belle. “Why did you need me to meet you today?”

Belle looks at her and tries, but fails, to give her a reassuring smile. 

“There… has been a bit of a mix up two weeks ago when you came in for your check-up.” Regina straightens on the chair but stays silent. “Doctor Whale here…” The woman sighs, rubbing her face. “Have you been experiencing any unusual symptoms lately? Fatigue, nausea, etc?”

“I have actually. This morning I was feeling sick but it’s probably just what I ate yesterday night coming back to kick me in the guts. Why?”

“Only this morning? You haven’t felt anything odd happening to your body, even last week?”

Regina frowns at her, thinking for a second. 

“Huh… Now that you mention it. Last week I felt a bit under the weather and I got sick at work but… I don’t understand. What’s happening?”

Belle stares at her colleague and Regina follows her gaze. 

“I…” The man sighs. “Yesterday, a patient I saw right after you came to see Doctor French. She was worried because… she was supposed to have been inseminated but she took the pregnancy test and it was negative. Things like that don’t always work out but Doctor French here was convinced that the patient had every chance to get pregnant. She had received hormones treatment and such… So she called me and asked me if there was a problem during the insemination. I see a lot of patients but I clearly remembered that the person I had performed the insemination on was alone in the room. Not with her husband…”

He sets her eyes on Regina and she holds his gaze. “What does this have to do with me?” she asks looking back at Belle. 

“What Doctor Whale is trying to say is that, he mixed up your room numbers and… he inseminated you instead.” 

Regina’s eyes widen in shock as she stares into her doctor’s eyes. Around her, it felt like the world had suddenly stopped moving. 

_He inseminated you instead_ . The words echo in her ears but they don’t quite reach her brain because this is crazy, right? How does that happen? It’s impossible. Doctors don’t just inseminate the wrong patient. It’s _insane_. She hears Belle calling her name, but it’s a distant sound. She feels her hand shaking and her head pounding against her skull. This can’t be. 

_You should have the results in about two weeks_. Regina remembers him -- Doctor Whale -- telling her that before leaving. She had been confused but hadn’t had time to stop him and ask him and… Suddenly, she feels her stomach lurching and she barely has time to grab the trash can before throwing up. 

She feels someone’s hand pulling her hair out of her face and rubbing her back but she wants them away. All she wants is to scream and punch that man’s face over and over again because how could he!? A child! She doesn’t want another child. She _has_ a child already. An amazing, smart, funny little boy that she loves with all her heart, but as much as raising Henry has been the most fulfilling adventure in the world, being a single mother… It’s hard and it isn’t something she wants to do again. And, she is fine with it! She had her big love, with Daniel and she has a son. She is happy. She is good and… She feels tears pricking the corner of her eyes. She puts the trash can down, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She sees a box of tissue being handed to her and she looks up at the hand’s owner. Her eyes are red with blood, her jaw clenched and her fist tightened into a grip. 

“I’ve got this,” she hears Doctor French say as she grabs the box of tissue. “Leave us, please.”

However, Regina keeps murderous eyes on him as he walks towards the door and disappears behind it. Still, she doesn’t look away, trying to come up with any reason not to run to him and kick his sorry ass. 

“I’m really sorry, Regina. I should… He’s not a bad doctor…”

Regina snaps back and looks into Belle’s eyes, daring her to carry on. She has the decency not to.

“Are you sure?” Regina finds her voice, but it’s hoarse, and it burns when she speaks. However, it’s nothing compared to everything else she is feeling right now.

“There’s a possibility that it didn’t take but I… with your symptoms… I’m afraid that…” 

Regina closes her eyes, raising a hand motioning her to stop talking.

“God,” she lets out burying her face in her hands. 

For a few minutes, or hours, she can’t tell anymore, she stays like that. Completely still. Her brain is racing, her head is still hurting and she feels like her lower belly has gotten heavier even though she knows perfectly well that it’s too early for that. _Two weeks._

“What now?” she asks, looking back at Belle.

“We do a pregnancy test… To confirm.”

“There is no chance for it to be negative?”

“There’s always a chance but…”

“Yeah I’m not buying it either,” Regina lets out, rubbing her face. 

“Once the pregnancy is confirmed we’re going to talk about your options.”

“There’s no need to talk about it. I want an abortion.”

“I understand,” Belle says and there is no judgement behind her voice. However, Regina can feel that she wants to say something. 

“What is it?” she asks, harsher than intended, but she’s pissed and damn it, she has the right to be. 

“It’s just… The father…”

 _The father_ , Regina realizes. “Oh my God,” she lets out. _This is a nightmare_. 

“He’s here with his wife… You don’t have to meet him if you don’t want to but…”

“It’s his child too,” Regina finishes for her and Belle nods, sympathetically. 

“He’s there with his wife… They’d like to meet you and -- talk.”

Regina lets out a tired sigh, leaning her back into the chair. She wants to cry. 

“Give me a second and then, bring them in,” she agrees after a while. 

Doctor French acquiesces, “Alright. I will get this cleaned up.” She picks up the dirty trash can. “Then, I will come back with them. In the meantime… ” She goes toward a cabinet and pulls something out. She comes back and hands a pregnancy test to Regina. “You know where the bathroom is.”

Regina doesn’t reply. She absently takes the box and stares at it. How can this be happening? A second passes then she feels Belle’s hand squeezing her shoulder. After, the woman heads out, leaving Regina alone with her thoughts and misery in the office. 

She doesn’t know exactly how long she stays on her own. Time flies by in a curious manner when your life falls apart. The test is positive and even if she had very little hope, when she glances down and see the black plus sign on the stick, she still feels as if she’s just been punched in the stomach. 

She hasn’t felt so powerless since _that_ day at the hospital, on her knees, her body jerking with every sob that escaped her throat. 

**_10 years ago, Lenox Hill Hospital, Manhattan_ **

It’s been hours and she can feel it-- she just knows that something is wrong. 

Regina cradles her sleeping newborn against her chest. She looks down at him and a smile appears on her face. He is perfect. A perfect pink baby, with big chubby cheeks. Her father says that he looks like her. She doesn’t see it. To her, he is the spitting image of his father except perhaps for his little brown eyes that he’s surely taken from her. 

“Can you try calling him again?” Regina asks, looking up at her father and he nods. 

_Come on, Daniel. Where are you?_

She brings her index to her son’s cheek, stroking it gently.

“Regina, it might be time for you to realize that he’s probably just left.”

She doesn’t answer. Instead, she glares up at her mother. Cora is standing by the door, arms crossed over her chest in a disapproving manner. She’s never liked Daniel anyway. “One’s trajectory needs to keep moving up,” her mother had told her the day she had found out that Regina was seeing “a vulgar valet”. 

“I know you would like that but I know him. He said he was going to be back. He will be back.”

It was a little over two hours ago. They had just welcomed their baby into the world. Regina had looked up at Daniel, tears of joy and exhaustion rolling down her cheeks as he walked up to her with their son. He had put the child in her arms and it was simply the best feeling in the world. Finally getting to hold this little human that she had loved with all her heart from the second she found out she was pregnant… There were no words.

“I’m so proud of you,” Daniel whispered into her ear before pressing a kiss to her temple and she chuckled. 

Her parents arrived soon after and her father instantly ran to her side to look at his grandson. Her mother was more reserved but Regina didn’t miss the small flicker in her eyes. The tiny second during which Cora’s features softened at the sight of this newborn child. She didn’t moved closer but it was enough for Regina. She smiled at her mother before looking at her father and announcing that Daniel and she decided to name their son after him. _Henry_ . _Henry Daniel Colter_. The old man wasn’t able to keep himself from shedding a few tears and he hugged her as much as he could without scaring the baby. 

“I have something for him,” Daniel suddenly said. “Damn, I forgot it at home. I didn’t know this little guy was going to come today.”

Regina laughed, watching him tickle Henry’s stomach. 

“I’m going to go get it.”

“Now?” Regina asked, looking at him with a frown. 

“It’s important. It’s…” He smiled, leaning to kiss her forehead. “Give me 1 hour tops. I will be quicker than a jackrabbit on a hot date.”

She rolled her eyes at that but kept the smile on her face before nodding. Daniel kissed her lips before kissing his son’s hand. Then, he had left. 

It was a bit over two hour ago. Daniel is still not back and Regina has this feeling -- this gut feeling that something happened. 

She bites her lower lip trying to focus on Henry, trying to focus on the joy she’s feeling for having him in her life. _Everything will be fine_. 

“Hello.”

She looks up as soon as she hears her father.

“Is that him?” she asks full of hope but her father doesn’t reply. Instead, the veins on his forehead deepen and he turns around to give her his back.

“Daddy?” Regina asks but he doesn’t reply. 

She feels a hand on her shoulder and she looks up to see her mother by her side. 

“We’re at the Lenox Hill Hospital,” Henry says after a bit and then, “Regina Mills, yes.”

“Dad, what’s happening?” Regina asks again, her heart starting to accelerate in her chest. 

She shifts on the bed and the baby starts to fuss a little.

“Give him to me. You’re scaring him,” Cora urges gently and Regina looks down at her son before nodding and handing him over to her mother. 

Once she has, she turns back to her father. He just hung up and is now walking towards her. 

“I don’t want you to worry,” he begins and that’s never a good way to start a conversation so she worries. “I didn’t get a hold on Daniel. It was a detective who had his phone.” Regina’s blood freezes. “He didn’t tell me much, just that he needed to see you. He will be there in a bit but in the meantime, there is no need to worry, okay?” Henry tells her, bringing a hand to her cheek. 

She doesn’t reply. Instead, she turns her head to face the door and wait. She breathes in and out. 

_He is alright_ . _He has to be_.

… 

The knocks on the door are brief and brisk and they startle her. 

“Come in,” her father says, his hand sliding down from her shoulder to grab her hand. He intertwines his fingers with hers and squeezes them. 

The man that appear is tall with broad shoulders. He’s got short brown hair -- maybe blonde, she’s not sure. Behind him, there is another man, taller, black with a baseball cap on his head. When she lowers her eyes, she notices that he’s holding something. It looks like a blanket -- a baby blanket.

Her vision starts to get misty and she bites down her lower lip to keep herself from crying. _Everything is alright_. 

“Miss Mills,” the shorter one asks first. 

She wants to say “yes” but the word gets stuck in her throat. She nods, clinging onto her father’s hand. 

“I’m Detective Stevens,” he continues, “and this is my partner Detective Smith.

“Spit it out, Detectives. What happened?” Cora asks impatiently, still holding her grandson.

“Cora,” Henry chides, quietly. 

Detective Stevens however doesn’t pay attention to either one of them. His gaze never leaves Regina’s.

“There’s been an incident,” he tells her gently and she feels a tear rolling down her cheek. 

“Where is Daniel?” Regina manages to ask and he looks at his partner for a brief second. 

“An hour ago, there was an altercation. We don’t know what happened yet, but your boyfriend was shot.”

“Oh God, Regina,” she hears her father say, holding her hand tighter but she takes her hand back and straightens. 

“Where is he?” she asks, calmly. “I want to see him. In which hospital is he?”

“Miss…” the other detective starts and she glances at him, waiting for him to reply to her question but he doesn’t. They both simply stare at her.

“Where is he?!” She shouts. Instantly Henry starts screaming but she can’t hear him, she can’t focus on anything but these two detectives who just won’t answer her _damn_ question. 

“I’m afraid, he’s dead, Miss Mills.”

It’s Detective Stevens who says the words and she focuses back on him. She shakes her head, whispering “No”.

“He can’t be. You’re wrong,” she tells him matter-of-factly. “He said he would be back. That he had to pick something at his house and that he would be back.”

“I’m really sorry. The paramedics couldn’t do anything. He was dead before they arrived at the scene.”

“You’re wrong,” she chokes out because this is the only plausible explanation.

“Regina,” she hears her father whisper. 

“You’re wrong,” she repeats, standing up. But the effort instantly makes her bend in half.

“Regina, you have to laid down, honey. You’ve just given birth,” Henry tries to reason but she doesn’t comply.

“You’re wrong,” she says to the detective again, walking towards him. “You’re wrong. You’re wrong! You’re wrong! You’re wrong!” She hits him on the chest, tears now streaming down her face. “You’re wrong! He will be back. He said he would…” 

Her knees hit the floor before she realizes it, her legs unable to hold her weight but she doesn’t shut up. “You’re wrong,” she sobs out, her palms hard against the tile floor of the hospital room. “You’re wrong… You’re wrong.” 

She hears her son’s cries join hers and she wants to pick him, to soothe him but she can’t -- she just can’t move, can’t think, can’t breathe. 

“Oh Daniel,” she whispers, bring a hand to her chest. “No!”

“I think this was for your baby,” Detective Smith says and she looks up and he’s handing her the blanket. 

Regina closes her eyes, grabbing the blanket and clutching at it against her chest, sobbing. 

“He was supposed to be here”, she moans. “He was supposed to come back.”

Suddenly she feels two arms wrapping around her and she turns to meet her mother’s eyes. 

“He is gone, Mama.”

“I know but you have to be strong.”

“I can’t. I can’t do it.”

“Yes you can. You’re my daughter and there is nothing you can’t do. You have a child to take care of now. You have to be strong.”

She doesn’t reply, simply buries her head into the crook of her mother’s neck, crying her heart out. 

**_Present time, UCI Medical Center, Los Angeles_ **

Regina cocks her head backwards, the memories still so vivid in her mind. She brings her hands to her face and wipe away the tears that have gathered in her eyes. This is a mess. 

There is a knock on the door and it opens on Belle. 

“So?” is the first question she asks.

“It’s positive,” Regina replies and Belle gives a compassionate smile. 

“They’re here,” she tells her gently afterwards. 

Regina takes a deep breath and nods, standing up. Belle steps to the side and opens the door further. 

Shock can’t even begin to describe the feeling that Regina is currently experiencing at the sight of her cousin entering the room, hand secured inside her husband’s and given the look on both their faces, she’s pretty sure that whatever they’re feeling right now is not much different.

“Regina,” Mary Margaret, whispers, astound. 

“This got to be a joke,” Regina says and she could almost laugh. Truly, she is that close to just bursting into laughter because this. Has. Got. To. Be. A. Joke.

“You know each other?” Belle asks and Mary Margaret nods. 

“She’s my cousin,” Regina lets out looking between said cousin and her husband, David. 

He hasn’t said a word since he’s gotten here. He stands there, like paralyzed, just ogling at her stomach. Regina straightens, suddenly feeling exposed and she brings both arms to rest around her still flat belly. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, having realized he’s made her uncomfortable. “I just…. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright,” Regina replies. 

“Why don’t we all sit down,” Belle offers and they all acquiesce.

Regina sits back down on her chair and Mary Margaret sits next to her, David by her side. 

“I understand this must be a terrible shock for all of you…” Belle starts and Mary Margaret lets out a wry chuckle. 

Regina looks at her. She wouldn’t have said it better herself. 

“I want to help you as much as I can throughout this ordeal whatever you decide to do next.”

She focuses on Regina when she says that and the brunette appreciates that.

“So, I’m going to leave the three of you to talk and then, we can meet later.”

She leaves not without giving one more of her sympathetic smiles to both parties but as soon as the door closes, a heavy silence settles into the office. 

Regina is the first to speak. She looks at her cousin and David and sighs before starting with a “I didn’t know you had frozen your sperm.” 

It’s a bit blunt and surely, she didn’t expect it to come out that way but they had to begin this unpleasant conversation somehow. 

“I… Yes, I did,” David lets out. 

“It was the cancer?” she asks and he nods. 

When she moved here with Henry five years ago, David was just recovering from an aggressive testicular cancer. Regina hadn’t gotten much information, just that he was now cancer free which was all that mattered anyway so she hadn’t dug for more. 

“We’re not asking you for anything,” he adds. “I -- I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you and if you don’t want to keep it, that’s your choice to make and we will accept it.”

Regina looks at him, trying to gauge him but he is sincere. At least, his eyes seem to be so she nods, letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“You have to tell her,” Mary Margaret says suddenly, whispering to her husband but he shakes his head, mouthing a “It’s fine.” 

Regina frowns. “What do you have to tell me?” she asks.

“Nothing. It’s nothing,” David assures with a smile.

“It was his only sample,” Mary Margaret blurts out and Regina looks at her with confusion. 

“What?”

The pixie-haired woman glances up at her. 

“The sperm they used… on you… it was David’s only sample.”

Regina closes her eyes briefly shaking her head. “Hold on, what you’re saying is that the child I’m carrying right now is your only chance at being a father?” She looks at David and he simply sighs. 

“I… I didn’t want you to know.”

“God, this is just great!”

“Look, I meant what I said, we’re not asking you anything…”

“Clearly your wife is,” Regina bites back, standing up and waving her hand at Mary Margaret, “otherwise she wouldn’t have said anything.”

“It’s not easy for us either,” her cousin remarks and if looks could kill, Mary Margaret would be dead now. 

“I need to…” Regina closes her eyes shut, bringing her fingers to her temples and massages them. “I need some air right now,” she declares, opening her eyes back. “And to head to work anyway, I’m already late. I…” She looks at them and sighs. “I need some time to think about this whole… situation.”

“We understand,” David says standing up and she nods. “I’m sorry,” he tells her after a second.

“So am I,” she replies back before grabbing her purse and leaving the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**«** It’s the nights, I hate. **»**

She tried to stop thinking about it. 

However, she failed. She spent all morning staring blankly at the files on the conference table, the morning’s events playing in her head like a broken tune, until Mal couldn’t stand it anymore.

Mallory Rost is Regina's colleague. She's a brilliant lawyer, clever and fair, but if there's one thing she hates more than children (Regina will never forget the look in her eyes when she had to bring Henry to work because her sitter was sick) and being called Mallory, it’s people not giving their 100% to a case and clearly, Regina isn’t.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” She says blunty. 

Regina snaps her head up, looking at her colleague with wide and confused eyes. 

“I’m fine,” she lies after regaining some composure. She straightens in her chair and arranges the files before her. “So which angle do you want to take?”

“If you’d been paying attention to what I was telling you, you’d know,” Mal hisses and Regina sighs, rubbing her face. “What is happening to you?” she reiterates and Regina has to bite her lip, almost to the point of making it bleed not to start crying. 

She will not cry in front of Mal, or in front of anyone for that matter. That’s not what she does. That’s not who she is. She sucks it up, especially at work, where her personal life and issues are just that -- personal. 

She looks up at Mal but before she can stop it, a tear rolls down her cheek. Mal leans on her chair, waiting. “Start talking.”

“It’s nothing. I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention but I’m back now -- let’s do this.”

“We’re not doing anything until you tell me what’s up with you. I’ve never seen you like that so -- speak! Now!”

“I’ve just gotten some…” She pauses for a second, trying to find a fitting word but what comes to mind isn’t exactly suited for the workplace. “Unfortunate news,” she settles for, almost laughing at the understatement. “- and it’s upsetting and I’m not sure how to deal with it.” 

“Take the day off,” Mal tells her eventually after a long time of scrutiny.

“What!? No. I’m alright, Mal. We need a strategy by Monday, I’m not bailing out of this.”

“You’re not bailing out, I’m kicking you out,” Mal counters, standing up. “Go back home, deal with whatever it is you have to deal with, and come back on Monday ready to put your head back in the game. I’ll take care of this hearing. You’re of no help to me in the state you’re in.”

“I’m fine,” Regina insists. 

“Go home, Regina. There will be other cases. With Gold as the new boss, you know there will.”

She holds her colleague's eyes for a good minute before sighing and nodding. Mal’s not wrong.

“I owe you one.” 

She looks at Mal pointedly because she hates people doing her favours. She worked her ass off to be here, to be taken seriously in spite of everyone accusing her of having been hired solely because she’s the boss’ niece. Work is work and she’s not about to let whatever nonsense is happening in her life compromise everything she’s made for herself. So this is a one time thing and she wants to be clear on that. 

“And I will hold you to it, don’t you worry about that.”

This is how she finds herself back in front of her parents house, sat in her car undecided as to whether or not she wants to get out. 

She finally grabs her key from the ignition and opens the door. She slams it back closed once out and heads to the house. 

“You’re back early,” Ella says, surprised.

“Something came up,” Regina replies, trying for a smile as she walks inside. “Where are my parents?” 

“On the deck, lunching.”

“Thank you,” she says, and she heads outside.

She finds them all around the table, chatting happily. Regina stays by the door for a little while, looking at them with a small smile. They’re eating what looks like pork with green beans and potatoes and Regina promises herself to ask her mother how she convinced Henry to eat the greens. 

“Regina?” Her mother is the first one to notice her and she steps out of the doorframe and walks towards them.

“Mom!” Henry greets happily, hopping off his chair and running towards her. 

Regina chuckles, wrapping her arms around him. She closes her eyes, holding him tight in place for a few seconds before kissing the top of his head. 

“Have you already eaten?” he asks, looking up at her. 

“I haven’t.”

“Come,” he says holding her hand and guiding her towards the table. 

She smiles. She sits down between him and her mother as Ella brings her a plate and cutlery. 

“Thank you,” she tells her as the girl starts piling up food on her plate. 

“What are you doing here so early?” her father asks. “Did something happen?”

“It’s fine,” she tells him though she doesn’t put too much effort into making it convincing. 

She’ll eventually tell him and her mother, she just doesn’t want to do it in front of Henry.

“I’m glad you finished work early,” Henry lets out. “You can try the jacuzzi,” he exclaims.

She laughs, leaning to kiss him again. “I love you so much,” she tells him. 

“I know, Mom.” 

She smiles, ruffling his hair. She glances up at her mother and finds her gazing at her suspiciously. 

She knows something is up. She’s always been good at noticing things. 

Before, she would just ignore it or tell Regina to “get grip”. That last one used to be her answer to everything and it still makes Regina’s chest heart at the thought. Then, Daniel died and Cora became more compassionate. Something to do with remorse, perhaps. Remorse for having hated the man, for having judged him before knowing him, for having referred to him as a “lowlife who would only make a fool out of Regina”. He didn’t. However, it was too late when she realised it. So yes, perhaps, she’s trying to make up for it. 

Regina gives her a knowing nod, mouthing a “later” and Cora goes back to eating. 

It's later in the day. After some convincing on Henry’s part, Regina agreed to spending the rest of the afternoon at her parents. Henry had thrown his hands up in the air with joy in response before asking if he could hop back in the jacuzzi. 

That’s where he is now, eyes shut, head thrown backwards and his arms resting on the edges of the pool. Regina shakes her head at the sight. 

“Unbelievable,” she whispers, grabbing her glass of water and taking a sip. 

“He’s having fun,” her father retorts next to her. 

“Yeah! I can see that.”

She feels good. Relaxed. There’s a nice spring breeze and she inhales the fresh air, happily. She almost forgets... almost, but then, her father has his hand on her arm, calling her and when she looks at him with a small smile and a raise of her brow, he asks what brought her back so early. Her heart plummets in her chest, her smile disappears and the fear and anger she managed to push aside for the past hour or so come back racing. 

She suddenly feels ill. Out of breath. The pork feels heavy on her stomach. She needs to leave -- a bathroom. But Henry... She has time to glance at him for one second. His eyes ares till closed so Regina take the opportunity to jump on her feet and walk inside the house before sprinting straight to the guest restroom. She closes the door in a loud thug and falls onto her knees, her face almost dipping into the toilet bowl and she vomits. Vomits for what seems like hours. Her stomach is twitching, her insides boiling up. It’s awful. Worst than she remembers.

There’s a concerned “Regina” coming from the hall but she’s too busy emptying her guts to reply. Finally, she calms down, hiccuping her way out of the throwing up. She closes her eyes, resting her head on the edge of the toilets, her hand blindly searching for the flush. She straightens up, sliding backwards against the wall. The cold material sends chills to her body and she shivers. She brings her knees up to her chest and wrap her arms around them, tears rolling down her cheeks. This is a nightmare.

She doesn’t know how many times her mother calls for her before she finally lets her in. Her first concern is her son though and once Cora replies to her silent question. “He’s still enjoying the pool. Your father's distracting him.” She breathes again and closes her eyes, her head softly hitting the wall behind her. 

“You’re worrying me, Regina,” Cora says, her voice somber, and when Regina looks back up, she can see that her mother seems… panicked.

She doesn’t have memories of her mother ever being frightened -- or, at least, of her showing it. Cora’s always had great control over her emotions. She’s always been rational so this… This is an odd scene and it only makes her cry some more. 

“Regina, for God’s sake! Are you ill?” Cora asks, kneeling next to her, a hand on her arm. 

Regina shakes her head and looks at her mother. She shrugs her shoulders tiredly and gives out a humourless chuckle. It seems appropriate right now, since her life has become a joke. 

“I’m pregnant.” 

It’s the first time she says it out loud and it makes the whole thing feel worse. Cora’s eyes widen in shock before her body language shifts into something cold and severe that Regina recognises. Cora gave her that same reaction when she broke the news about Henry. 

“I didn’t know you were seeing anyone,” she lets out matter-of-fact, holding her gaze.

“I’m not. It was... I was inseminated.”

“What?” 

This time Cora stands up, eyes looking at her daughter as if she’s facing a stranger. 

“Why on Earth would you…”

“I didn’t,” Regina replies holding her mother’s gaze. “It wasn't me. It wasn't my decision. It was an accident. There was a mixed-up at the clinic and I… I got accidentally artificially inseminated.” 

The words sound so dumb coming out of her mouth. Accidentally artificially inseminated. How does that _fucking_ happen !? 

There’s a long pause during which she studies her mother. The woman stands, unreadable, eyes piercing into Regina’s making her blink a few times.

“We’re going to sue that clinic,” she drops suddenly, “and drags that incompetent doctor through the mud.”

Regina wants to but she can’t bring herself to disagree so the words die down in her throat as her mother carries on with her tirade.

“It’s unimaginable they could let something like that happen. They should be jailed. All of them and this is exactly what’s going to happen. I’m going to call some of my old colleagues. They all owe me favours and this is the perfect opportunity to collect. We won’t let them get away with this. Of that, I assure you. But first, you’re getting an abortion!”

The last word has Regina’s attention riveted back on the bathroom tile.

“I can’t,” Regina mutters. 

“What?”

She sighs, leaning on the floor to lift herself up. “I… I can’t just get an abortion.”

“Regina, for the love of God. This is not the time to be a mindless dreamer.”

“I am not,” she snaps, her mother hitting a nerve and knowing it perfectly. She’s stopped being that when Daniel died. “I’m not being stupid. It’s just that --” She sighs, rubbing her face. “The baby is David's,” she tells her mother, biting her lower lip to keep herself from bursting into tears once more. She’s done with that.

“Mary Margaret’s David? That useless husband of hers?”

Regina rolls her eyes but doesn’t say a thing because not too long ago she was thinking the same thing. 

“Mary Margaret was supposed to be inseminated the same day I had my check-up. My doctor was on a sick leave so I had this… fool (and that doesn’t even begin to describe that useless, incompetent son of a bitch) and he mixed up the files. So now I am pregnant and I can’t just _get an abortion_ because this child is the only chance David has to be a father. I just…” Regina closes her eyes, throwing her hands up in the air and letting them fall as she leans back against the wall. “This is…” She opens her eyes. “How does that happen? Why me? What am I going to do. God, what will I tell Henry? He’s going to be so confused…”

“Get an abortion, Regina.”

She spins on her heels to look at her mother. “Didn't you hear what I just said? It was his only sample.”

“They have options. Adoption, a donor... _This_ is your only option.”

Regina closes her eyes for a second and rubs her face. 

“We should go back outside before Henry starts worrying. I will let you tell dad… I don’t want to have to say that out loud again.”

Cora watches her for a second before agreeing with a nod. 

“I’m going to wash the vomit taste out of my mouth then I’ll join you outside.”

And she does just that. She cleans her face with some warm water, hoping to reduce the swelling of her eyes and swishes some of the listerine her parents had the good foresight to place in every bathroom of the house. Then, she straightens her spine, pulls herself together and heads outside, a smile firmly planted on her face. Perhaps it’ll trick her brain into thinking her life isn’t the mess it seems to be becoming.

The clock hits 4 p.m. when she gets back home with her son. He’s still hyper on bubbles and steam and keeps rambling on whatever pops in his mind.

Regina nods, smiles from time to time, chuckles even. He’s happy and there’s nothing that fills her heart with more joy than seeing the grin on his face. 

“I love you so much,” she tells him suddenly, cutting him midway through one of his tirades.

He looks up at her with a frown. She chuckles before pulling him into a tight hug. 

“Mom,” he draws out. “What’s going on? You’ve been all weird.”

“Telling you that I love you is being weird?” she asks parting from him and eyeing him with a raise of a brow.

He rolls his eyes. 

“Well, I love you too but you're crushing me.” 

She smiles before freeing him. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I am. Don't worry, baby.”

“Alright,” he says with a smile. “Can I go read outside for a bit since it's still early?”

“Yes, you can. In the backyard not the front.” 

“Okay. Thanks Mom,” he shouts back already halfway through the small corridor towards the back door. 

“Leave the door open,” she yells at him as she slumps onto the couch. 

She hears his “Yep” and she relaxes, leaning her head on the back of the couch and closing her eyes. 

“What am I going to do, Daniel?” 

She opens her eyes and he’s here, sat on the coffee table, a small smile tugging his lips. She would scold him, tell him to get his ass off her table but… he’s not real and she knows that. She _does_. 

She hears him chuckle and she frowns. 

_You forget that I’m in your head. I always know what you're thinking,_ he says, “getting his ass off her table” and she rolls her eyes. 

She feels him sit next to her before he wraps an arm around her. She drops her head on his shoulder, bringing her knees up and hooking them around his thighs. 

_So, what's the plan?_ he asks her, lazy fingers playing with strands of her hair. 

“I have no idea.” 

_Do you want to get an abortion?_

“Yes… I…” She straightens up and sighs. “Everything would be so much easier.”

_But?_

“David. He wants this child. I can see it in his eyes.”

_There might be another way, you know._

She furrows her brows and turns to look at him. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Mom?”

Regina’s head snaps up at the sound of Henry yelling her name and his feet running on the tile floor. 

“What is it honey?” she asks, straightening up and focusing her thoughts on him and not on the ghost of her dead fiancé. 

“Can I grab some ice cream from the freezer. It’s so hot.” 

“You have just spent hours in a jacuzzi -- what are you complaining about?” she teases. 

“But I am not in the jacuzzi anymore,” he argues with a coy smile. 

She rolls her eyes and nods. He yay-s cheerfully,, grabs some Rocky Road ice cream and is out of the house again. 

“Thanks mom,” he remembers to tell her on the way, kissing her cheek. 

She chuckles, shaking her head. 

“He’s just like you,” she whispers. “Charming is way out of anything.”

She hears a snicker and she smiles sadly, looking back at Daniel. 

He’s grinning at her, his blue eyes boring into hers. He brings a hand to her face and replaces a lock of her hair behind her ear. Regina lets out a shaky breath, closing her eyes and leaning under the touch as a tear rolls down her cheek. 

“I miss you,” she murmurs, her throat dry. 

“I’m not far,” he tells her, and she feels a ghostly kiss being placed on the top of her head.

...

By the time she wakes up the next morning, she’s made her decision and she is firmly convinced that it is the best one for both parties… or at least it’ll allow her not to feel guilty for the rest of her life. 

She carefully jiggles her arm out from underneath Henry and sits up. He managed to sleep for five good hours before walking into her room and sneaking in bed with her which is better than yesterday and the days before that so there's that to be happy about. 

Regina sighs, kisses Henry’s forehead and scoots out of bed. She grabs her phone on the bedside table as she puts her slip-ons on and heads out of the room. She arrives in the kitchen and sits at the table, turning on her phone. A picture of Henry appears as the device asks to be unlocked which she does. She instantly accesses her contacts and scrolls down until she finds Mary Margaret’s number. 

It takes her cousin a little while to answer but she finally picks up.

“Hey -- Hello Regina,” Mary Margaret replies, the phone call having obviously woken her up.

“Is that her?” She hears David ask. 

“Yes. Yes,” Mary Margaret whispers. “I… How are you doing?” she asks her. 

“I’m good.” She is not. “Are you and David both free later this morning? I thought we could talk.”

“Yeah -- Yes, of course. We can meet you at your place?”

“No, I’d rather Henry went unaware that I’m about to discuss what our my plans for the husband of his mother’s cousin’s baby -- that I happen to be carrying,” Regina deadpans. 

“Right. I… Sorry.”

“I can meet you at your place downtown. It will be easier. Just send me the exact address.”

“Alright,” Mary Margaret replies. “I’ll send it to you.”

“See you at 11,” Regina says and then hangs up the phone. 

She receives the address soon after that and then she drops the device on the table and closes her eyes, her back leaning onto the chair. Her head is suddenly spinning and she hasn’t even moved. It's a nightmare. 

_It’s going to be fine_. 

She looks up and finds Daniel staring at her with that annoying composed smile of his that he always wears no matter what. 

He laughs. 

Except that one time when they ran into the man who was going to murder him a few weeks later… 

His smile drops. 

Yeah, that had pretty much been his reaction. His features suddenly shifted into something wary and she remembers how tightly he grabbed her hand before telling her to keep walking.

“Long time no see, Danny-boy. And who is this little beauty with you?” the man asked ogling at her until his eyes found her bump. She instinctively brought a hand to it. “No way,” the man let out chuckling. "Danny C. is having a baby.”

Daniel didn’t reply. Instead, he made her turn around and told her to keep walking with a firm voice. 

And she did so. Not without eyeing the man behind them, however and she saw it. The fury in his eyes as he watched Daniel walk away from him. She never mentioned it to anyone and maybe if she had…

_You’re not making any sense. Regina, I swear, don’t you go around blaming yourself for this._

He’s by her side within a second. 

_It's not your fault_. 

She shakes her head, pressing a hand on his deceitful chest, pushing him away. 

_Do you want me to go?_

She nods, tears streaming down her face. He gives her a small smile before leaning in to kiss her lips. She closes her eyes briefly, taking in the moment and when she reopens them, he is gone. Regina brings a heavy hand to her lips. It always seems so real.

She stays like that for a little bit, lost in her thoughts, light fingers hovering onto her lips.

She can no longer count the days when she wishes he’d been here with her just like they’d planned. They wanted to buy a nice house outside of New York with a small yard -- not too different from the one she owes now except it would have been _their_ house. He would have probably ended up convincing her to get a dog. God, Daniel and his obsession with dogs. 

She used to have a dog or rather she almost had a dog. A German Shepherd named Rocinante. Her father brought her home on Regina’s 10’s birthday as a present. She was so happy. Cora, unsurprisingly, wasn't. Regina remembers her parents arguing all night long while she sat on the floor, against her bedroom’s door, scratching Rocinante ears. The next day, Cora came into her daughter’s room. She sat her down on her bed and explained that it wasn't fair to Rocinante, that a dog was happier outside and that it would be unhappy living in an apartment in the middle of Manhattan. Regina told her that she would take her to walks in Central Park, “everyday, Mama”. 

“What about those days when you're tired?” 

“I will never…” 

“Regina…” Cora looked at her pointedly and that was it. 

In the afternoon, Rocinante was gone. Since that day, she’s never been too kin of having another dog and having to live through seeing them go just like she did with Rocinante but for Daniel… she would have changed her mind. She knows that much.

Anyways, there’s no point in dwelling in the past. She’s got too much going on right now to be. 

She hears her phone buzzing. It's a message from Mal. 

_“_ I sent you the strategy plan I settled on since you **insist** (Regina called her yesterday) on staying involved even though I told you to take a break. Read it over and if you have anything to add, which you won't because I’m good at my job, send it back with your notes. But, once again -- I’ve got this Regina.”

“I know you do,” Regina lets out but she doesn't like the feeling of bailing out. She’s never been a quitter. She doesn't want to start now. 

“Thank you, I really appreciate it,”nshe writes back, adds a smiley face then erases -- it seems desperate -- and then presses send. 

Once she’s done with that, she goes back into her contact lists and presses Emma's name. Just as she does so, she hears Henry's footsteps coming from the hallway. She smiles as he walks up to her and immediately snuggles against her, arms wrapped around her neck. 

“Slept well, baby?” she asks, rubbing his back, sticking her phone between her ear and shoulder and waiting for her friend to pick up. 

He grumbles something and she chuckles. 

“God, Regina! Do you know what time it is?” she hears Emma groan in her ear once she’s picked up. 

“Good morning to you too,” Regina replies with a raise of her brow and a smirk. 

Henry parts from her as she speaks, looking at her questioningly. 

“Emma,” she mouths and his eyes lit up making her chuckle. 

“Very funny! What do you want?”

“I have somewhere to be at 11 and I need someone to look after Henry but if you're not interested I can always drop him at my parents or at Tink’s…” 

There is a small pause then Emma replies with a “I don’t like your tone but you're lucky I love that kid. I’ll be there.”

“Thank you very much,” Regina says with a large smile before placing a kiss on Henry’s cheek. 

Emma only huffs in response before hanging up. 

“How are you feeling about spending a few hours with Emma?”

“Where are you going?”

“I have to go see Mary Margaret and David. We have some grown-ups’ stuff to talk about.”

“Will you be out for a long time?”

“Two hours maximum. I promise.”

He smiles at that and nods. 

“But for now, let’s see what I can give that stomach of yours,” she tells him, tickling his sides as she stands up. 

He chuckles. 

“Waffles,” he requests.

“Waffles, huh? I guess we can make that,” she says opening the fridge.

Around 10 a.m. Emma shows up at the door with her loyal red jacket on, a coffee in her hand and a grouchy face. 

“8 a.m. Regina. You know I always love coming to look after Henry. But 8 a.m.! Who wakes up at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning?!”

“Believe it or not -- most people,” Regina tells her stepping aside with a grin. 

Emma rolls her eyes.

“I see you got your car back,” she notices, eyeing the yellow bug parked in front of her house.

“Yeah it's still roaring and kicking,” Emma says as she comes inside the house. “Sorry to disappoint.”

Regina huffs. “I don’t care about it. However, the day it will break down, leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere I can assure you that I’ll never let it die.”

“I could never, for the life of me, understand why you hate my bug so much.”

“It’s old. Every month, you have to drop it at the mechanic’s. And…” She eyes the vehicle with disgust. “- it’s so yellow.”

“Your house is blue, Regina. Blue! With a red door.”

“What’s wrong with blue?”

“What’s wrong with yellow?”

“It’s yellow.”

Emma rolls her eyes with disbelief. She turns to look at Henry who is engrossed in one of his video games. 

He can only play on Sunday so in general it's hard to get his attention when he's got the game pads in his hands.

“You say hello to Emma, Henry,” Regina tells hims and he just throws a “hello”, waving one hand, eyes still locked on the television. 

“Henry!” Regina scold. “Now!”

He sighs and pauses his game before coming up to meet Emma and greet her properly. 

“Sorry,” he mumbles. 

“That’s okay, kid,” Emma says smiling and fake punching his shoulder. “Do you have any new games so I can kick your ass?”

“Emma!”

“What?” She asks chuckling. 

“I’m going to rethink this babysitting arrangement of ours if that's the kind of colourful language you teach my son.”

“Nah, you love me too much,” Emma shrugs, taking her jacket off and hanging it on the coat rack. 

Henry chuckles before not-so-discreetly retreating back to the couch. Regina rolls her eyes. 

“So, what’s up with you?” Emma asks her, making sure her voice is low enough so Henry can't hear her. 

“What do you mean?”

“You always spend your Sundays with Henry. No matter what even if you have a big case coming up. You might bring your files home but “Sundays are for Henry”. So, what's up with you?”

“I…” Regina looks over at Henry then back at Emma. “I can’t tell you right now.”

Emma studies her for a second then nods. 

“How big is it?” 

“Big,” Regina mutters. 

“Okay. Then we’ll talk later.”

“Thank you for coming on such short notice.”

“Of course,” Emma replies with a small smile. ”So,” she exclaims, turning to Henry and walking towards him. “What have you got?”

Regina smiles, looking at them for a second before heading back in her room to finish getting ready. 

Emma Swan is her closest friend. She hired her as a sitter when she first arrived in Los Angeles and now, they are friends. Still, every once in a while, Emma still looks after Henry whenever Regina have to work late or go and meet a man whose sperm was mistakenly placed inside her vagina. Anyways, Regina trusts her, probably trusts her with her own life. She’s always been there for her quietly listening to her rant and being there. 

She arrives a little bit early at David and Mary Margaret’s apartment. Regina ponders waiting in the car for a bit, until the clock hits 11, but there are 10 more minutes to go and she is too fidgety not to drive herself crazy if she stays there by herself. So, she gets out of the car, slams the door shut and heads towards the underground parking’s elevator. 

Mary Margaret and David’s building is a nice one from the 80s. A place way too expensive for a teacher and a police officer to afford but they bought it with the money that she inherited from her mother and that he inherited from his parents. Regina’s been there a couple of times and it’s a really nice. It reminds her of her parents’ apartment back in New York. Not her but nice. They live on the 5th floor so they have a great view over LA. 

Regina presses “Nolan” on the intercom on the elevator. 

“Yes?” David answers. 

“It’s Regina.”

“Hi. 5th floor. 507.”

“Thank you,” she tells him. 

They open the door together, hands locked together. They seem nervous. Regina supposes that she can understand. Despite how she feels, she can’t imagine it being easy for them either. 

“Come in,” David tells her with a small smile. 

“Thank you.”

“Do you want to drink anything?” Mary Margaret asks then as Regina follows them into the living room.

“A glass of water would be great.”

“Alright.”

Regina sits down on the couch while her cousin goes to fetch the water. David, as for he, sits on the armchair, not quite facing her but enough for the angle not to be too awkward. 

The whole situation already is awkward enough. Regina swallows hard, suddenly feeling very hot. She shouldn’t have chosen a silk blouse. With this weather -- it was thoughtless at best.

“How is Henry?” David asks, trying to break the ice. 

“Good,” she says with the grin that usually appears whenever she thinks about her son. “He is playing video games at home. He is more than good.”

David chuckles. 

“We should stop by one day. It's been awhile since we’ve seen him… I mean if that's okay with you,” he quickly adds and she waves her hand at him. 

“I’m sure he will be glad.”

They might not be very close for people that are part of the same family but Henry likes both David and Mary Margaret. The latter always gifts him with books of all sorts which is -- along with video games and comics… and having a pool -- a great way to his heart. 

Regina can’t help but grin at that. 

“Here are the drinks,” Mary Margaret says, coming with a tray and three glasses, a pitcher of water with ice cubes in it. 

Once she places the tray on the coffee table, David scoots down and starts pouring the water in the glasses. Mary Margaret hands her hers and Regina thanks her, instantly gulping down the liquid. 

“You want some more?” David asks with an eyebrow quirked in amusement. 

She rolls her eyes in a “very-funny” manner before telling him that she’s good and he laughs.

The atmosphere feels less heavy and Regina leans into the couch, the glass in her lap. As for Mary Margaret, she goes to sit next to her husband in another armchair. 

“So,” Regina starts because they might as well dive in. “I… I don’t know how to start this conversation,” she admits after a while, chuckling humorlessly. She sighs, rubbing her thigh. “Ok. I’ve never wanted to have another child. After Henry… Daniel was dead and it was… I was content with having just one child. I _am_ content. I don't want another child,” she says finally and she sees David lower his gaze briefly as Mary Margaret reaches for his hand. 

“I understand,” he says rapidly, looking at her with a forced smile. “It’s… more than understandable.”

“I don’t want another child but I know how special it is to have one,” she continues and he looks at her with confusion. “You have options. You could use a donor or adopt but -- I know that you want this child even if you insist on saying that it is my decision and that you’ll accept whatever it will be. And yes, it is my decision but I see in your eyes that -- you want this child and I don’t want to take that away from you.”

“What are you saying, Regina?” Mary Margaret asks and she turns to look at her. 

“You both will probably be great parents. I’m sure you will, actually. So, here’s what I am offering: I will carry this child for 9 months. I will make sure it's healthy and taken care of for as long as it will be in… well, me. Then, I will give it to you, its parents.”

“You would really be willing to do that?” Mary Margaret asks in shock and Regina nods. 

“Yes.”

“But it's your baby too,” David lets out. “You can be in its life. You don't have to…”

“It’s not my baby,” she corrects him. “I don’t want another child, I told you,” she reminds with a shrug.

“So you’ll be okay with us raising it without it knowing you're his mother?” Mary Margaret asks. 

Regina can hear the judgement in her voice. She can’t say she’s really surprised considering her reaction when she got pregnant with Henry. Despite only being 16 herself, she’d a lot to say on the matter even if it was never to Regina’s face. 

“A mother is someone who raises you,” she deadpans, “not the one who carries you. This baby will have no reasons to think that I’m that to it.”

“What about Henry?”

“I will explain it to him in time, without going too much into the details.”

There’s a pause during which they both look at her, processing it all. Then David stands up suddenly and walks over to her, pulling her into a hug. 

It takes her a moment to register but once she does, she slowly returns it. 

“Thank you,” he whispers into her ear and she relaxes. 

He parts and looks at her in the eyes and she can see some tears pricking his lashes. 

“It’s alright.”

“About… About being part of the baby's life… you can always change your mind.” She shakes her head but he carries on. “You can. We could make it work.”

“I won't change my mind,” she insists. 

“Alright,” he says but she can see in his eyes that he is not giving up on the idea. She will just have to make sure he eventually gets the memo. “Thank you again, Regina. You have no idea how much it means to us,” he says looking at Mary Margaret who still hasn’t moved from her seat. 

“Yeah,” she says, snapping out of her thoughts and placing a smile on her face. “Thank you.”

She’s out of their place soon after that. David thanked her again about ten times before letting her go and she promised in return that she’d let them know about the doctor’s appointments and such. Then, she leaves. 

Regina sits in her car, hands on the wheel. It's 9 months. 9 months and then it will all just be a distant memory. 

_Easy_. 


End file.
